Archived: STATEMENT BY SENATORS JOHN McCAIN & LINDSEY GRAHAM ON U.N. SYRIA PEACE TALKS

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) released the following statement today on the United Nations-sponsored Syria peace talks:

“Today Senator McCain had the opportunity to speak with the head of the Syrian opposition’s High Negotiations Commission, Prime Minister Riyad Hijab, about United Nations-sponsored peace talks in Geneva. As these talks have been organized, the Assad regime has continued its assault on Syrian civilians backed by Russian air attacks, denied humanitarian aid to besieged areas, and unjustly and inhumanely detained innocent women and children.

“After years of such brutality, the Syrian opposition has made eminently reasonable demands as a precondition of joining such talks such as the full implementation of all U.N. Security Council resolutions on humanitarian issues. These resolutions include UNSC 2139, which calls on all parties to permit free access to humanitarian aid, and UNSC 2254, which calls for a transition away from Assad’s current government to an inclusive transitional governing body.

“That is why we have been disturbed by reports that the United States has applied pressure on the Syrian opposition to abandon these demands. The Obama Administration should not be adding leverage to the negotiating stance of Russia and Iran any more than it already has. The United States and the international community have an obligation to see these resolutions implemented and enforced as part of any continued talks. And it must be made clear to the Assad regime that its forces and their allies must stop indiscriminately barrel bombing civilian populations and allow vital humanitarian aid to reach civilians in besieged towns. 

“We support the decision of the High Negotiations Commission to send a delegation to Geneva in order to advance a political solution in Syria, which will peacefully transition from the Assad regime to a democratic, pluralistic government which respects the dignity of all Syrians. We understand that this difficult decision was made based on commitments from the U.S. government that a political transition will be discussed. We urge the Administration to uphold those commitments as well as prior commitments to the Syrian opposition that Assad can have no role in the future of Syria. If it does not, it would be understandable if the Syrian opposition chose not to participate further in these discussions.”